First Dates and Ferris Wheels
by xxVisionGirlxx
Summary: Season 4. Clark takes Lois to Smallville's Harvest Festival. But is it a date? Clois


Title: First Dates and Ferris Wheels

Author: The Viz

Summary: Lois and Clark go to the fair.

Notes: Found this on the hard drive collecting dust. I like season 4 stories where Clark has a thang for Lois. Here's a little drabble where that is the case.

It's been a while since I rode the fic train, and I wanted my good friend Sunrei to give it a beta read, but she's MIA so apologies in advance.

* * *

Clark took the two Styrofoam cups and nodded to the vendor.

"Thanks. Keep the change."

It was the last week in November and once again Shushter's field had been transformed into a a bustling fairground. Around him children pulled sugary tufts off their sticks of cotton candy and couples boarded the Ferris Wheel hand in hand.

"Hey! You made it!" Chloe exclaimed happily as she trotted up beside him.

"What's with the..." He motioned to her cheek where a unicorn was expertly painted. Its fiery red mane stretched down her jawline, flecked with stars and glitter.

"Promotion," she explained. "I get them into the chair with the fancy designs and then talk them down to a smiley face."

Clark frowned. "You're pulling a bait and switch on 7 year olds?'"

Chloe just shrugged as she stepped up to the concession stand. "Hey, we need money. The Torch is hemorrhaging funds. If things don't turn around, we'll be writing our stories on the Math Team's scrap paper." She fished a few dollars from her pocket and handed them to the vendor. "I'll take a candy apple, please." He smiled, and shoved off to fill her order.

"And how has my cousin's foray into the world of ritual crop worship been?"

Clark sighed. "I don't think Lois is the fair type. She's allergic to half of the animals, she's aggressively competitive at the game booths -"

Chloe noticed small black teddy bear peeking out of his back pocket. "Looks like she's not the only one."

"Actually she won him for me." Clark grimaced. "And then named him Clarkie."

The old man returned with Chloe's apple, which was dripping with caramel and toasted peanuts. "Granted, the Harvest Festival isn't the romantic place for a first date –"

"This isn't a date."

Chloe just grinned. She took a giant bite from her candy apple and innocently munched away.

"It's not," he repeated defensively.

"Clark, you spent days agonizing over asking her. She said yes, and here you both are. Alone. Together."

"We've been over this, Chloe. She doesn't think of me that way."

"Right," Chloe paused catching sight of something over Clark's shoulder. "Well, for someone who's not interested, she sure seems to be sending out the Spoken For vibe."

Clark followed Chloe's line of sight to find Lois where he had left her, sitting on a long wooden fence watching the high school's marching band perform. Only now, she had company.

Unable to help himself, Clark tuned into their conversation.

_"Hi. I'm Chad. And you are...?"_

_"Not interested."_

Clark watched as Lois turned back to the show as the trumpets began their solo on Another One Bites The Dust. Chad tried again.

_"The husk off starts in a few minutes. It's the highlight of the festival. I know a guy. Could get us right up front."_

_"Competitive corn stripping? Not really my thing."_

Clark couldn't fight the smile that came next.

"So was I right?" Chloe asked, tugging on her ear.

On principle, he refused to answer.

"Of course I was."

"Just because Lois doesn't talk to every creep who tries to hit on her doesn't mean she likes me."

Chloe didn't argue. Instead she gave Clark an indulgent pat on the arm. "You guys should swing by the booth later. I'm sure I'll be in need of some rescuing." And then, with a sly smile added, "I can do matching hearts if you like," before heading back to her post.

Clark sighed and turned to the girl who had occupied his thoughts ever since she crashed into his life (and cornfield) a few months back. Lois was pretty and fun and smart and... pretty.

The moment those fliers first appeared on telephone poles around town, he had made it his singular mission to get Lois to the fair. He had started with subtlety, mentioning the fair in passing conversation, or forwarding his email reminders onto Chloe when he knew she'd be in town. Subtlety, he had come to discover, did not work on Lois Lane.

Clark had almost resigned himself to the fact that he was actually going to have to man up and ask her directly when fate stepped in. Or, more accurately, Cammie, the lunch shift waitress at the Talon.

_"Clark, can you tell your mom that I can only work the Harvest Festival until noon?" Cammie asked as she set their coffee orders down on the table._

_"Sure."_

_"Great! Thanks! Are you guys going?"_

_Lois shrugged. "Never heard of it."_

_Clark hung his head in exasperation._

_"You should go. It's lots of fun," Cammie encouraged, before leaving to help the young couple waiting at the register._

_"So what exactly is a Harvest Festival?" Lois asked, as she emptied half the sugar dispenser into her coffee._

_"It's this big agricultural fair Smallville holds every year," Chloe explained. "I've been meaning to tell you about it for weeks."_

_Clark perked up at this. Trust his best friend to do the heavy lifting for him._

_"I have to run a booth for the Torch. I'll be out of commission all day."_

_"So my weekly sojourn to Smallville is a no go?"_

_Chloe shrugged. "Unfortunately."_

_Clark watched the conversation play out in mute horror. Not only was Lois not going to the Harvest Festival, she wasn't even coming into town._

_As he struggled with his next move. Chloe's cell chirped._

_"It's the paper. I gotta take this."_

_Chloe slipped out of the booth, leaving Clark and Lois alone._

_"I didn't know either. About Chloe working, I mean. I had, uh, hoped we could go to the fair together. All three of us."_

_"Yeah, I think it might be the first time in two months I don't spend my weekend in Smallville."_

_Two months, and two weeks, Clark silently amended. Not that he was counting._

_Lois shrugged. "But it'll be good. I have a ton to do in the city."_

_"Oh."_

_"Laundry. Pacing in circles. And I think my DVR is busting at the seams."_

_Clark brightened. She had been joking. Of course._

_"You know. You shouldn't miss the fair just because of Chloe. You could go with me," Clark plowed on despite his nerves. "I mean, uh, you're always complaining that there is nothing to do in Smallville, it'd be a shame for you to be out of town on the one day there actually is."_

_Lois bit her lip, considering the invitation. "Will you buy me cotton cand -?"_

_"Yes," Clark quickly assured her, startling them both. He was saved from the awkward aftermath when Chloe came back to the table._

_"Lo, I was thinking. Since you aren't going to be in Smallville next weekend, maybe I can take the train to Metropolis on Sunday. We could spend the day in the city. Do what urbanites do. Not sure exactly what that is, so I will defer to you."_

_"Actually, cous, it looks likes I'll be coming corn-side after all. Farmboy here is taking me to the fair."_

_Chloe raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh, realllllly?"_

_"You know Smallville. Always there to swoop in and save a damsel with a distressing social calendar."_

_Clark busied himself with his napkin, feeling Chloe's eyes on him. "Yeah. Clark is decidedly unselfish like that. Always thinking of others."_

Clark shook himself out of the memory. Regardless of what Chloe thought, it was clear Lois didn't see this as a date, or even a like-a-date. He hoped that at some point he would be able to tell Lois how he felt, but for now he was just happy to be spending time with her.

He looked down at her hot chocolate, which had cooled down during his chat with Chloe. A few quick beams of heat vision and it was steaming again.

After a deep, fortifying breath he made his way back to Lois.

"About time, Smallville," she teased when she saw him approach.

She made a gimme gimme motion and he handed her the drink.

"Did you get - -?"

"Extra marshmallows? Yeah."

"You're the best."

Clark flashed her a bright smile. He knew he must have looked like a lovesick dope, but he didn't care. He was the best.

She rolled her eyes and patted the spot next to her on the fence. She held his cup as he swung his legs up and over to join her.

"How's the band?"

"They don't take requests. No matter how much I yell at them." She glared at the lead trombone, who quickly averted his eyes.

"We could do something else." He jerked a thumb behind them. "There's a fortune teller by the dunk tank."

"Pass. The last time someone read my tea leaves I was destined to marry a guy who wears tights and flies around a lot."

Clark laughed at the visual. "Like a cross-dressing pilot?"

"Or a trapeze artist. A very masculine trapeze artist. With great hair and a giant -"

"Lois!"

"What? I was going to say heart," she assured him. "Maybe."

Clark rolled his eyes. "Okay. Fortune teller is out."

Lois pointed across the grounds. "What about the Ferris Wheel?"

Clark shook his head. "I have a thing. About heights."

"All the more reason to ride," Lois countered. "It's like the General always says. Anything worth doing is worth doing petrified. Keeps the adrenaline up."

"Has the General ever considered writing a coffee table book?"

"You laugh, but maybe a little fear is exactly what you need in that yes-ma-yes-pa humdrum existence of yours."

As she turned to watch the band, he couldn't help but acknowledge the truth in her words. And there was one thing that scared him a hell of a lot more than heights.

Taking the plunge, he kept his voice light. "Actually, I thought, in a little bit, we could go over to the main tent and watch the husk off. It's kind of a Smallville tradition."

"Husk off huh?" Lois asked with a thoughtful expression. "How could I possibly refuse?"

He wasn't entirely sure why he saw it as a green light to do what he did next, but before he had a chance to consider the source of his sudden burst of courage, he ducked his head and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

Lois jerked back, eyes wide.

"Oh."

Clark flushed in embarrassment. "Sorry."

"You thought this was a -"

"No. I - I know you don't, so -"

"Don't what?"

"Like me. Like that." He hopped off the fence and began a desperate search for an escape route. "I'm just going to go."

Her hand on his jacket stopped him. When he tried to pull away, she readjusted her vice grip.

"What?" he croaked. She ignored the question, looking him over with a critical eye as if trying to decide something. "Lois, you're making me nervous."

"Shh."

After a moment of deliberation she seemed to have her answer.

"Kiss me."

"What?" Clark squeaked.

"Am I speaking a different language here? Lay one on me."

"Why?"

"Because you've opened a door here, Clark, and I want to see if it's to a room I'm interested in entering."

"Is this a trick?"

"You got me. The second you kiss me my watch will squirt you with seltzer water." She yanked him closer until he was flush with her knees. "Just do it."

He nodded sharply and followed orders, never able to deny her anything. The first brush was tentative, his whole body coiled in anxiety. He felt her hands rest on his shoulders, giving him a light squeeze, and he willed himself to relax.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he kissed her with months of pent up passion and desire. And it was... amazing.

Clark pulled back and cleared his throat, his heart still thundering in his chest. "So?"

Lois smiled, impressed. "Not bad."

She hopped down off the fence, and beckoned him along.

"Lets go see that husk off, Clarkie."

"Lo-is."

"I was talking to the bear."

"Oh."

She laughed and held out her hand. "But you're welcome to join us."

For a moment he wondered if he should tell her that the husk off was in the opposite direction, but instead he simply laced his fingers with hers, happy to follow where ever she would take him.

-end-


End file.
